Lions Bring Back Belief But Still Need To Improve
The Straits Times|December 31, 2024
The Lions' run to the Asean Championship semi-finals has reignited belief in the national team, said observers a day after Singapore's campaign was ended by Vietnam in the last four.
Deepanraj Ganesan
Lions Bring Back Belief But Still Need To Improve

Amid video assistant referee (VAR) drama across two legs, the Lions lost 5-1 on aggregate to the Golden Star Warriors in only the second time that they had reached the semi-finals since they won their fourth title in 2012.

Tsutomu Ogura's charges achieved that despite the unavailability of key players such as midfielders Jacob Mahler (injured) and Song Ui-young (family matters) and brothers Irfan, Ikhsan and Ilhan Fandi (not released by clubs).

Football commentator and former Singapore Premier League (SPL) coach Khidhir Khamis said: "The team has brought the belief back to the fans and regaining that belief is the most important takeaway from the tournament."

Balestier Khalsa coach Peter de Roo has observed a new-found mentality among this pride of Lions.

"There is a little less fear and they try to play (good football)," said the Dutchman, a former technical director at the Football Association of Malaysia.

"They are also aggressive when they don't have the ball. So there's definitely a good spirit within the team by the looks of it."

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 31, 2024 من The Straits Times.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 31, 2024 من The Straits Times.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

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